SALOME. Thank you, she is very well. The concert that evening pleased me exceedingly. Thank heaven that so good a fashion has found entrance among us. In this way we have a perfect bazaar for the marriageable girls, for had not this concert taken place where would you two have found an opportunity to make each other's acquaintance? Where else could you have caught sight of each other?

ALEXANDER. Dear lady, Miss Natalie must please everybody without concerts, and awaken love in them. Oh, how I bless my fate that it is my happy lot to win her love!

SALOME. And my Nato pleases you, dear son-in-law?

ALEXANDER. Oh, I love her with all my heart, dear madame!

SALOME. If you love her so much, dear son, why did you exact so much money? For the sake of 1,000 rubles this affair almost went to pieces.

Your sister Champera swore to me that if we did not give 1,000 rubles more you would this very day betroth yourself to the daughter of Barssegh Leproink.

ALEXANDER. I wonder, Madame Salome, that you should credit such things.

I marry Leproink's daughter! I refuse Miss Natalie on her account!

forget her beautiful black eyes and her good heart, and run after money!

Would not that be shameful in me! I must confess to you freely, dear madame, that my sister's way of doing things is hateful to me. _Fi mauvais genre!_ But let us say no more about it. If only G.o.d will help us to a good ending!

SALOME. G.o.d grant that neither of you may have anything to regret!--[_rising_] I will come back immediately, dear son-in-law; I am only going to see what is keeping Nato. [_Alexander also rises_.] Keep your seat, I beg of you. How ceremonious you are! I will come right back.

[_Exit right_.

SCENE XII

ALEXANDER [_alone._] At last my burning wish is fulfilled! Now I have both a pretty wife and money. Without money a man is not of the least importance. Let him give himself what trouble he may, if he has no money, no one will pay any attention to him. I have made only one mistake in the business. I have been in too much of a hurry. If I had held out a little longer they would have given me 8,000 rubles; now I must be satisfied with 7,000. Still, what was to be done? It would not have gone through otherwise; and for that matter, I may, perhaps, somehow make up for it in other ways. In any case, I stand here on a fat pasture-land where they seem to be pretty rich. The princ.i.p.al thing is that I should make myself popular among them, then I shall have succeeded in getting my fill out of them. Ha, ha, ha! How they worry themselves! Yes, the whole office will be in an uproar to-morrow. [_With affected voice_:] "Have you heard the news? Marmarow is engaged, and has received 7,000 rubles dowry. And such a beautiful girl! Such a lovely creature!" [_Clucking with his tongue and changing his voice_:] "Is it possible!" [_In his own voice_:] Charming, charming, Marmarow! [_Looking at his clothing:_] Chic! A true gentleman am I! Yes, I am getting on. I must now think only of to-morrow and the next day, and how to get on further. The princ.i.p.al thing is for a man to know the value of money, for without money nothing can be undertaken. First, I shall have the interest on my capital; then my salary, and last some hundred rubles beside. That makes 3,000 or 4,000 rubles a year. If I lay aside 1,000 rubles every year, I have in seven or eight years 10,000; in fifteen years double that, and so on. Yes, Monsieur Marmarow, you understand it!

Be happy, therefore, and let the others burst with envy.

_Salome and Nato enter at the right, Salome holding Nato's hand_.

ALEXANDER. Miss Natalie, the whole night long I thought only of you!

[_Kisses her hand_.]

SALOME. Kiss her on the cheek and give her the engagement ring.

ALEXANDER. Oh, you are the sun of my existence! [_Draws a ring from his finger and gives it to Natalie_.] From now on you are mine. Please!

[_Kisses her_.]

SALOME. Be happy and may you reach old age together. [_Kisses Alexander; then Nato_.] G.o.d bless you, my children. Sit down, I pray you, Alexander [_pointing to the sofa on which Alexander and Nato sit down_]. Your father will soon be here. [_Walks to and fro in joyful excitement_.]

ALEXANDER [_looking at Nato_]. Dear Natalie, why are you so silent? Let me hear your sweet voice, I beg of you.

NATO. I am speechless, Monsieur Marmarow.

ALEXANDER. Monsieur!

NATO. Dear Alexander.

ALEXANDER [_seizing her hand_]. So! That sounds much sweeter! [_Kisses her hand_.]

_Enter Chacho_.

SALOME. Come in, dear aunt.

CHACHO. Such a thing has never happened to me before! Could you not wait till the man of the house arrived?

SALOME. Oh, it is all the same; he will be here soon enough. Give them your blessing, I beg of you.

CHACHO. May G.o.d bestow all good things upon you. May heaven grant the prayer of me, a sinner. [_Alexander and Nato stand up_.] May you have nothing to regret. May you flourish and prosper and grow old together on the same pillow. [_Ossep comes to the door and stands astonished_.]

CHACHO [_continuing_]. G.o.d grant that your first may be a boy! Love and respect each other! May the eye of the Czar look down on you with mercy!

[_Sees Ossep_.] Let the father now offer you his good wishes.

SALOME. Dear Ossep, congratulate your daughter.

NATO. Dear papa!

[_Goes up to Ossep and kisses his hand. Ossep stands motionless_.

ALEXANDER [_seizing Ossep's hand_]. From now on, dear father, count me among your children. [_Turning to Nato offended_:] What is this?

SALOME. Don't be impolite, Ossep.

CHACHO. What has happened to you, Ossep?

ALEXANDER [_to Salome_]. I understand nothing of this. [_To Ossep_:] My father, you seem dissatisfied.

OSSEP [_recovering himself_]. I dissatisfied! No--yes--I am dizzy.

ALEXANDER [_offering him a chair_]. Sit down, I pray, my father.

OSSEP [_to Alexander_]. Do not trouble yourself. It is already pa.s.sed.

SALOME. Can one meet his son-in-law like that? And such a son-in-law, beside! Say something, do.

OSSEP. What shall I say, then? You have consummated the betrothal. G.o.d grant that all will end well. [_To Alexander_:] Please be seated.

ALEXANDER. My father, when do you wish the betrothal to be celebrated?

OSSEP. That depends upon you. Do as you wish.

ALEXANDER. I will invite twenty persons and bring them with me. My superiors I must invite also; it would not do to omit them.

OSSEP. Do as you see fit.

ALEXANDER [_to Salome_]. Perhaps he is angry with me. If there is any reason for it, pray tell me now.

SALOME. What are you saying? That cannot be!

[_They move away a little and speak softly together_.